The Untold Truth

Chapter 13

The realization of what he was talking about hit me, but I stayed quiet, knowing something that he didn't know. I had been having a nightmare last night when Bradan had found me and picked me up. I woke up from the movement, but he was whispering for me to fall back asleep, that he was there and that I was safe. When he had set me down, I had started to panic and needed him to stay until I was calm again. The only thing my tired and panicked mind could think of was to pull him down closer to me, to show him that I needed comfort for a while more.

I was in no way trying to kiss him, but I wouldn't tell Benjamin that. I would have to explain to him why I needed someone there with me to calm me down, and I wasn't ready to share those deep memories and feelings with Benjamin. He knew about the kidnapping obviously, but I hadn't told him any of the details.

Benjamin pulled me out of my thoughts, "...go and find Bradan. See you later Aleksandria."

He walked out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with my thoughts. A sudden thought hit me and I took a quick gasp in. Did Bradan think that I was trying to kiss him last night? I was scared to think of how he would act the next time I would see him, but my thoughts were cut short as the man who occupied my currently mortified thoughts walked through the door.

Bradan. He walked into the room and walked to the sink to put his plate away. I stared down at my own plate, too afraid to even look him in the eye, even though I had looked at him at breakfast. Knowing that he had thought I had tried to kiss him changed my whole attitude and made me feel even more awkward around him. I heard his steps get closer to me, but I still couldn't look him in the eye. He was going to talk to me about last night. Of course he was. Why else would he be walking toward me?

He said, "Are you done with that?"

At the same time he spoke, I blurted out, "I wasn't going to kiss you."

He looked at me stunned and I was pretty sure my face looked the same as his. He just wanted my plate. I blushed and instantly looked down. He silently stared at me, and I waited an excruciatingly long amount of time for him to speak. My thoughts were going through my head so fast, I couldn't even catch a single one and make it a complete thought. I didn't dare try to talk, knowing that all that would come out were sputtering noises. I quickly got up and the sound of the chair scraping against the floor filled the whole room. I left my plate on the table and moved toward the stairs to escape from the moment, but Bradan gently grabbed my wrist before I could leave. I stopped dead in my tracks.

He asked quietly, "What did you just say?"

I tried to pull my wrist from his grip, but my movement didn't even make him move from his stance. Having him grab my wrist made butterflies appear in my stomach, but I wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or the closeness of him.

I said nonchalantly as I refused to look at him, "Nothing. Don't mind me Bradan. It's nothing."

My eyes darted to his face, and I saw that his confused face was replaced by a scowl. His annoyance at my answer was clear on his face.

"What did you mean 'you weren't going to kiss me'?"

His eyes fell away for a second, confusion clouding his bright blue eyes as he mumbled quietly, "When were you thinking about kissing me?"

I saw a slight tinge of red on his cheeks, but he quickly steeled himself and looked back at me with his full focus.

He moved his hand from holding my wrist up to holding my elbow and pulled me closer to him. I put my hand on his arm that was holding me, preventing him from bringing me any closer to him. I knew if I got any closer, I wouldn't be able to think straight and give him an answer. I realized a second too late though that holding his impressive bicep wasn't going to help me think clearly, however, he had his hand locked on my elbow, preventing any movement for my arm.